The Lights Are Always On
by DreamCatcher1991
Summary: Greg is asked to watch his twelve year old goddaughter for the night. Little does he know she isn't the one he could be worried about.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything you can recognize.

**Claimer:** I do own anything you can't recognize.

**WARNING:** None

**Summary:** Greg is asked to watch his twelve year old goddaughter for the night. Little does he know she isn't the one he could be worried about.

** "The Lights Are Always On," **

Greg had told his friend, Jennifer, that he would watch her daughter his goddaughter for the night. He had watched her several other nights so Jennifer could go out once in a while. He wished that she would stop doing this to herself but knew that she wouldn't stop trying to find someone. He had learned it was best to keep his mouth shut when it came to female friends and their relationships.

He had asked Wordy what movie he should get for Jennifer's daughter to watch that was truly kid appropriate and doesn't suggest sex, drugs, alcohol or violence in any manner.

Ding! Dong!

Greg answered the door to see Jennifer and her daughter, Danielle. Jennifer looked like she always did, meaning hair up in a ponytail, t-shirt and jeans. She had never been much off the type of woman to get into dresses and shirts when she didn't have to. Danielle on the other hand had her hair in a French Braid and was wearing an orange sundress.

"Greg," said Danielle hugging Greg.

"Hey, kiddo," said Greg patting Danielle's head.

"Thank you for watching her," said Jennifer putting Danielle's backpack on the couch.

"You work with four year old rascals all day, you deserve a night out once in a while," said Greg.

"Honey, how about you go take this upstairs," said Jennifer.

Danielle grabbed her backpack already knowing where take her things.

"Have you told this guy about Danielle yet?" asked Greg.

"No but I will," said Jennifer.

"Just be careful Jenny," said Greg.

"I know…there are so many guys out there that will just use me and that I'll never really find anyone until I stop fearing falling in love again. We go through this every time I go on a date and you know about it," said Jenny.

"I just hate seeing you get hurt almost every single time," said Greg.

"Don't worry about me. I have thick skin when it comes to dating," said Jenny "I'm a single mother I have to be."

"I had to ask Wordy what movie to rent," said Greg "that isn't suggesting anything inappropriate for a nine year old."

"I know it's ridiculous, it's so hard to find kid shows that don't suggest something. I have to watch kid TV shows before I let Danielle watch them anymore," said Jenny.

"If you have any problems give me a call or if things don't go as planned just mosey back over here," said Greg.

"I know," said Jenny.

"How is work?" asked Greg.

"I'm working with four year olds five days a week," said Jenny.

"Mum, I forgot my book in the car," said Danielle.

"I'll go get it," said Jenny taking her keys out of her purse.

"She's going on date isn't she?" asked Danielle.

"Ugh," said Greg.

"I'm not a little kid. I do understand that," said Danielle.

"Here you go," said Jenny coming back in.

"Greg, make sure she does her math," said Jenny.

"But mum I have all weekend," said Danielle.

"Then tomorrow you say you have tomorrow then Monday morning you'll guess on it because you forgot to do it yesterday," said Jenny.

"I'll try to help you," said Greg.

"Fine," said Danielle storming upstairs.

"Only nine more years of that," said Jenny.

"Better she goes through this stage now than when she can drive," said Greg.

"I better get going. I'll call later to check in," said Jenny.

"Alright," said Greg.

Jenny left Greg to watch her daughter without single worry about doing so. She knew that Danielle was safe with him even though her daughter had a good head on her shoulders but she wasn't quite ready to be alone all night at least where they lived.

It had been several hours before much of anything happened with Greg and Danielle. Danielle was trying to figure her homework after losing a coin toss with Greg, to see if she would do her homework now or later.

Ding! Dong!

Greg opened his door to find Spike standing on his front porch in the rain.

"What are you doing standing in the rain?" asked Greg.

"Knocking on your door," said Spike.

"Get in here," said Greg pulling Spike in his front door.

"I didn't mean to drop by without calling but my cell died," said Spike.

"What happened?" asked Greg.

"My date ditched me and I was already in the area," said Spike.

"By the way I have my goddaughter here so watch the language," said Greg.

"I didn't know you had a goddaughter," said Spike.

"Not something that comes up in conversation," said Greg.

"Greg, do you know how to do this?" asked Danielle not noticing Spike.

Greg sat down next to Danielle then looked at the worksheet then sat it back down.

"Sorry but no," said Greg "but maybe Spike here can help."

Danielle looked up and noticed the guy standing in the living room doorway.

"Danielle this is Spike. Spike this is Danielle," said Greg "Spike works with me."

"Hello," said Danielle.

"Let me see this impossible math problem," said Spike sitting down picking up the worksheet,

"Hmm Algebra? Aren't you a bit young to be taking algebra," said Spike "either that or they are starting algebra earlier."

"I'm in advanced classes even in math which I suck at," said Danielle.

"I'll right back, I don't want to burn the popcorn," said Greg.

"Neither do I," mumbled Danielle.

Spike chuckled to himself.

"What are you into?" asked Spike.

"Well, like fashion," said Danielle.

"Alright then, say you had there measurements for a dress how would you figure out how much fabric you need," said Spike.

Danielle breezed through the worksheet once Spike taught her to make the problems make sense to her then working through them that way and if it is a word problem just to adapt it to the way she learns.

"Spike, I hope you don't watching Princess Diaries," said Greg putting the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

While over at a restaurant Jenny was having a horrible date. She began to wonder if this guy was even human. He only talked about himself and was completely rude to the poor waitress.

"What do you do exactly for a living?" asked Jenny.

"I'm a lawyer," said the guy.

Jenny made a note to herself not to get into a legal situation that involved him otherwise Greg might be bailing her out of jail. She wondered how Greg had gotten into her thoughts while she was on a date but shock it off.

"Interesting," said Jenny.

"What do you do?" asked the guy.

"Teach preschool," said Jenny.

"Being with spoiled brats all day," said the guy.

Jenny bit her tongue. He had been doing so well up until now. She sighed she saw this coming from the start; she decided to just get this started now then waiting all night.

"They aren't all spoiled brats," said Jenny narrowing her eyes.

"I couldn't be with spoiled brats all day," said the guy.

"I'm not you," said Jenny.

He said nothing. She was happy for that because she was almost ready to jump over the table and choke him.

"I'm not a huge fan of kids," said the guy.

"I'm just going to end this now then," said Jenny throwing twenty dollars on the table and getting up.

"I didn't mean anything about it," said the guy getting up too.

"I don't think you quite understand it. I work with kids for a living, I love working with kids and I have a kid," said Jenny.

Jenny walked away leaving her date dumfounded. She knew people were staring but didn't care. She wasn't going to listen to I starting every other sentence and complain about kids on a date. She now realized Greg was right, if she kept running from the fact that she is scared to truly find love again she would end up destroying herself.

Back at Greg's house everything was calm. Spike had left after the movie ended and Danielle fell asleep. Greg had to wake Danielle up and lead her up the stairs. He went back for her homework and put it in her math folder in her backpack.

He had just gotten downstairs when his phone rang. He quickly picked it up before it woke Danielle.

"Hello," said Greg.

"It's me. I'm coming back earlier," said Jenny, her voice quivering.

"Is everything okay?" asked Greg.

"I'm fine," said Jenny "I'm in your driveway now so we can talk in a few minutes.

Both Greg and Jenny hung up. She just opened the door knowing there was no reason to ring the doorbell and wake Danielle. She sat her purse down a living room chair and took off her high heels so she didn't kill herself on the carpet.

Greg didn't need to ask how Jenny's date had gone it was obvious it hadn't gone well. He knew that when she called. He could tell she had been crying by her voice. He just waited for her to speak first.

"Did Danielle get her homework done?" asked Jenny.

"Yup," said Greg.

"Good," said Jenny.

Jenny wanted to tell Greg he was right about how she just kept hurting herself when it came to dating. She also wanted to break down crying. She was so tired of being a single parent and trying so hard she couldn't try a harder.

Jenny sat down just staring off into nothing. She knew if she looked at Greg she would start crying but knew she couldn't avoid him forever. She just didn't know what she should do anymore.

"I'm here if you want to talk," said Greg.

"What is there to talk about?" asked Jenny "you're right about dating, it's tearing me apart slowly."

"I didn't say you should give up," said Greg.

"It's been twelve years, I'm done," said Jenny.

Greg sighed. He hated to see her like this but what could he do.

"I'm just glad she had someone to guide her other than me. I would hate to see what she would be like if you hadn't been in the picture," said Jenny.

"She has learned everything from you, I'm just the person she comes to when she doesn't know what to do," said Greg.

"Then where is she getting this peacemaking quality when her friends are fighting during a sleepover or party?" asked Jenny.

Greg didn't have answer for Jenny because he knew that Jenny was right about how he had affected Danielle. She hadn't become what is now overnight. He remembered when she was two and hid behind anything she could whenever she meet someone knew but now she let Spike help her with her homework without really knowing him.

"You've got me there," said Greg.

"She goes to you because you've always had the lights on for her. I know I didn't have that growing up and I got into a lot of trouble because I didn't have that someone," said Jenny.

"Neither did I and we both found a way to give that to Danielle, she might not appreciate it much now but she will someday," said Greg.

"She's growing up too fast," said Jenny.

"That's definitely true," said Greg "soon I'll be scaring off boys."

"I don't even want to think about that," said Jenny "I feel the headaches coming now."

"You do know the lights aren't just on for Danielle. I left them on for you too because I knew there would be a time when you'd get tired of running," said Greg.

"I was never running just turning a blind eye," said Jenny.

"Why do you keep on dating though you fear finding that one person?" asked Greg.

"I don't really know," said Jenny "it's became a habit."

"I've always wondered. Why did you Danielle's father really get divorced?" asked Greg.

"You ask a lot of questions sometimes," said Jenny.

"And you're avoiding them," said Greg.

"He didn't want children and when I told him I was pregnant he left. After a month I filed for divorce," said Jenny.

"Not everyone is like him," said Greg.

"I know that I just have an ability to attract them," said Jenny.

"If you stop trying you might just find someone," said Greg.

Jenny sighed. She knew Greg was right but to be honest she was still scared of being in love again. She hated the fact she was so scared of something so stupid.

"Maybe this is better off," said Jenny reaching for her purse.

"Stay here tonight, I insist," said Greg reaching out to stop Jenny.

"Fine," Jenny sighed.

"If you need me I'm here," said Greg.

"I've never doubted that," said Jenny hugging Greg.

Greg was left stunned as Jenny went upstairs to sleep. He didn't quite understand her three hundred and sixty emotional change but didn't question it. He had learned it was best to not ask but to just leave the light on for her.

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading. This is my first story so I'm sorry if my grammar and spelling suck. I re-read it twice but you always miss something. I'm not sure if I will make a multi-chapter off this one-shot or not so please let me know what you think. Let me know if I missed any mistakes.<p> 


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